Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is the one of the leading causes of infertility among women who are of child-bearing age. The syndrome’s vast range of phenotypes has made it challenging for researchers to not only consistently diagnose but also discover a cure. Currently, there are several proposed treatments being looked into, however, much of the research focuses on employing promising biomarkers, micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs), that can potentially aid in diagnosis. The four prominent locations of research for these biomarkers include: ovarian tissues specifically looking into granulosa cells (GC), adipose tissue, follicular fluid, and the serum. My goal is to determine which of these areas holds the most promise to diagnose this syndrome in the years to come. This study reviewed a large collection of the current polycystic ovarian syndrome literature evaluating both reported miRNAs and how viable those would be as potential biomarkers to use for the future. The data showed that a majority of these promising biomarkers were found in granulosa cells, adipose tissue, and follicular fluid. Although there were miRNAs that were deemed promising in the serum, research is still far from conclusive in using these miRNAs as biomarkers for diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome. By comparing the miRNAs selected from each type of location, I was able to conclude that miR-21, miR-93, miR-223, and miR-let-7b hold the most promise for the potential to become biomarkers for polycystic ovarian syndrome in the near future. Currently, there is a lot of research particularly surrounding these miRNAs and how they were shown to have been expressed in statistically significant levels among women with the syndrome. However, because of their complexity, miRNAs do not regulate one single pathway, it is hard to describe a mechanism that explains the pathophysiology of the syndrome. I believe we are still far away from successfully zooming in on one biomarker. By determining the most potential biomarker(s), we can focus resources and efforts towards finding a better diagnostic tool for this syndrome.

Submitted by (lucia.rodrigues@ufrpe.br) on 2016-06-02T13:19:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Flaviana Santos Wanderley.pdf: 2218547 bytes, checksum: 33783f2ee07821db7f23103bcb5d7838 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T13:21:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Flaviana Santos Wanderley.pdf: 2218547 bytes, checksum: 33783f2ee07821db7f23103bcb5d7838 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-26 / The objective was to evaluate the clinical, pathological, and reproductive aspects of the Toxoplasma gondii experimental infection in goats. Firstly was studied the transmission T. gondii in goats inseminated vaginally with semen contaminated with strain tachyzoites CPG (genotype III). Were divided into two experimental groups (G1 and G2) each with five goats. The females of the G1 were inseminated with semen containing 1x105 tachyzoites and females G2 (control) with semen free tachyzoites (insemination = day 0). To confirm infection were performed serologic tests (indirect immunofluorescence) and detection of parasitic DNA (polymerase chain reaction) in blood and organs. For monitoring pregnancy ultrasound exams were used. In G1, seroconversion occurred between days 7 and 14 at 4/5 goats. In the same group, the DNA of T. gondii was present between days 7 and 49 in blood and various tissues of 3/5 goats and two kids born at full term. In G2, all samples were negative for both techniques. In the second experiment, the goats of the G1 in the first experiment were monitored in the acute and chronic phases of infection; embryonic reabsorption occurred in 4/5 goats in the acute phase, while in the chronic phase were observed in anestrus 2/5 goats, 1/5 goats had both hydrosalpinx and ovarian cysts. The third experiment investigated to venereal transmission of T. gondii in goats mated with breeder experimentally infected orally with oocysts of the ME-49 strain. Ten goats were allocated into two groups (G1 and G2) each with five animals. The female goats in G1 were mated with a breeder that had been experimentally infected with T. gondii oocysts whereas those in G2 (control) were mated with a serologically negative goat. The infection of the breeder and the females was confirmed through clinical, serological, molecular and histopathological findings. Seroconversion ocurred in the breeder infected on the 7th day post-infection (d.p.i.) and T. gondii DNA was present in the blood and semen in the 3th d.p.i. In G1, 2/5 goats seroconverted and DNA was present in the blood in 2/5 goats. In G2, all goats were negative in all tests. With regards to gestational development, the goats in G1 ocurred embryonic reabsorption in 1/5 in day 34 after mating, 1/5 aborted in day 42 after mating and 3/5 goats gave birth to full-term healthy kids. One of the kids exhibited PCR-positive blood at birth. In total, 2/5 of the females in G1 and 4/5 of the kids born alive in G1 exhibited PCR-positive in at least one organ. In G2, the goats gave birth goats healthy. In conclusion, artificial insemination with semen containing tachyzoites of T. gondii infected goats, causing reproductive pathologies during acute and chronic phases of infection. Furthermore, it was found that venereal transmission of T. gondii occurs in goats mated with an infected breeder. / Objetivou-se estudar os aspectos clínicos, patológicos e reprodutivos da infecção experimental por Toxoplasma gondii em caprinos. No primeiro experimento foi avaliada a transmissão de T. gondii em cabras inseminadas via vaginal com sêmen contaminado com taquizoítos da cepa CPG (Genótipo III). Foram formados dois grupos experimentais (G1 e G2) constituídos por cinco cabras cada um. As fêmeas do G1 foram inseminadas com sêmen contendo 1x105 taquizoítos e as fêmeas do G2 (controle) com sêmen livre de taquízoitos (inseminação=dia 0). Para confirmar a infecção foram realizados testes sorológicos (reação de imunofluorescência indireta) e detecção do DNA parasitário (reação em cadeia da polimerase) no sangue e órgãos. Para o acompanhamento gestacional foram utilizados exames ultrassonográficos. No G1, a soroconversão ocorreu entre os dias 7 e 14 em 4/5 cabras. Neste mesmo grupo, o DNA de T. gondii foi detectado entre os dias 7 e 49 no sangue e vários tecidos de 3/5 cabras e em dois cabritos nascidos a termo. No G2, todas as amostras foram negativas para ambas as técnicas. No segundo experimento, as cabras do G1 do primeiro experimento foram monitoradas nas fases aguda e crônica da infecção; reabsorção embrionária ocorreu em 4/5 cabras na fase aguda, enquanto que na fase crônica foram observados anestro em 2/5 cabras, hidrossalpinge em 1/5 cabras e cisto ovariano em 1/5 cabras. No terceiro experimento pesquisou-se a transmissão venérea de T. gondii em cabras acasaladas com o reprodutor infectado experimentalmente por via oral com oocistos da cepa ME-49. Dez cabras foram alocadas em dois grupos (G1 e G2) cada um com cinco animais, sendo as cabras do G1 acasaladas com o bode infectado e G2 (controle) acasaladas com bode sorologicamente negativo. A infecção do reprodutor e das cabras foi confirmada por meio dos achados clínicos, sorológicos, moleculares e histopatológicos. No reprodutor, a soroconversão ocorreu no 70 dia pós-infecção (d.p.i.) e o DNA para T. gondii esteve presente no sangue e sêmen no 30 d.p.i. No G1, 2/5 cabras soroconverteram e em 2/5 cabras o DNA foi detectado no sangue. As cabras do G2 e o reprodutor não infectado foram negativos em todos os testes. Em relação ao desenvolvimento gestacional, nas cabras do G1 ocorreu reabsorção embrionária em 1/5 no 340 dia após o acasalamento, 1/5 abortou no 420 dia após acasalamento e 3/5 pariram cabritos saudáveis a termo. No G1, o DNA de T. gondii estava presente no sangue em 1/5 cabritos ao nascimento e em pelo menos um órgão em 2/5 cabras e 4/5 cabritos nascidos vivos. As cabras do G2 pariram cabritos saudáveis. A partir dos resultados obtidos, conclui-se que a inseminação artificial com sêmen contaminado com taquizoítos de T. gondii infecta cabras, causando patologias reprodutivas durante as fases aguda e crônica da infecção. Além disso, constatou-se que a transmissão venérea por T. gondii ocorre em cabras acasaladas com reprodutor caprino infectado experimentalmente.